Improvement in automatic brakes for tread-powers



J. 1. WHEELER, AUTOMATIC BRAKE FOR TREAD-POW'ERS. No.174;,600. PatentedMarch 7,1876.

. zWn-br 4 -5 UNITED STATES I PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN T. WHEELER, OF NEWTON, NEW JERSEY.

IMPROVEMENT IN AUTOMATIC BRAKES FOR TREAD-POWERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 174,600, dated March 7,1876; application filed February 19, 1876. 1

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN '1. WHEELER, of Newton, Sussex county, NewJersey, have invented an Improvement in Automatic Brakes forTread-Powers and I do hereby declare the following to be a full andcorrect description oi the same, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, in which the figure is a side view of a tread-power, showingthe application sliding weight would press the brake upon the wheel andstop the motion of the machine.

In the drawings, A represents the base and frame-work of an ordinarytread-power, and 13 the driving -wheel. Pivoted behind the wheel B isthe lever O of the brake d, extendin g along the side of the frame A.

Thus far the construction is the same as the ordinary tread-power andbrake; but the renminder of this description refers to my invention.

Underneath the lever O of the brake d is a rod, f, extending nearly thewhole length of the brake-lever 0, upon which is hung the weight 0 bynieansot' a friction-pulley traveling upon the rod f. Secured to theframe A by means of a screw-clamp is a shortlever, t', pivoted to saidscrew-clamp at one end, and holding the bearing of the traveling pulleym at the other. Upon the outside surface of the lever '5, between thepivot and pulley, is a short hook, rounded 01f at the heel, to which isto be attached the larger hook-S, linked to the brake-lever O underneaththe traveling pulley m.

The operation'of my invention is as follows:

When the machine is at its normal condition the pulley m is travelingupon the belt, with the short lever 13 in an upright position, the hookS hooked upon the short hook upon the lever '5, and the weight 6 movedup near the driving-wheel B. In this position the power may run untilthe belt breaksor is cast, when the pulley m, unsupported, will fall toone side or the otherby the lever i turning upon its pivot, and theshort hook S will release the hook S holding up the lever O. This willallow the brake-lever O to fall, the weight 0 to slide upon the rod fout to the end of the lever, and the brake d to press against the WheelB and stop the machine.

In tread-powers where my invention is not .used, if an accident, likethe breaking of the belt, should occur, the horses are often injured bythe rapidity which the machine attains before it can be stopped.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

In combination with the driving-Wheel and brake of an ordinarytread-power, the travelin g pulley m, lever z, hook S, and slidingweight a, substantially as and for thepurpose described.

The above specification of my said invention signed and witnessed at Newton, N ew Jersey, this 24th day of January, A. D. 1876.

- JOHN T. WHEELER.

Witnesses:

MARTIN-R. SHINER,

A. SHINER.

